Ball-and-socket joint for pipe connections.



No. 888,288. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. J. H. WINDEMULLER.

BALL AND SOCKET JOINT FOR PIPE CONNECTIONS.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT- 22, 1906.

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No. 888,288. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. J. H. WINDEMULLER.

BALL AND SOCKET JOINT FOR PIPE CONNECTIONS.

APPLICATION IILED OCT. 22, 1906.

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A Man JAN HENDRIK WINDEMULLER, OF ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

BALL-AND-SOQKET JOINT FOR PIPE CONNECTIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed October 22, 1906. Serial No. 340,016.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAN IIENDRIK WINDE- MULLER, a subject of the Queenof the Netherlands, residing at Boompjes 52, in the city of Rotterdam,Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBaliand-Socket Joints for Pipe Connections and the Like; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a ball and socket joint for pipe connectionsand especially to joints of this ty e in which the packing can betightened up ike that of a stuffing box.

Such ball and socket joints as heretofore usually constructed have insome cases, a very small limit of adjustability owing to the fact thatthe annular nut which presses the packin bears directly upon the surfaceof the ball; while in other known ball and socket joints in which thepacking can be adjusted to a sufficient extent, the packing space is notsufficient for good packing, such ball and socket joints are notsuitable for vertically hanging pipes, such for example as are used forchandeliers.

A main object of the present invention is to provide in the ball andsocket joint a space in which the packing material can be pressedtogether in wide limits and towards all sides by a stuffing box glandguided in a straight line. This end is substantially attained by thefact that in the stuffing box ring of the improved joint there is firmlyheld a concentric ring which is pressed on the one hand against the balland on the other hand against a ball surface, which is connected to thelength of ipe carrying the ball. This arrangement a so enables the wholeball and socket joint, provided a double stuffing box is provided, to bemoved in a pipe so that not only a side way movement but a movement in alongitudinal direction can also be obtained.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings Figure 1 shows in centrallylongitudinal section a ball and socket joint of the improved form. Fig.2 shows the adaptation of the improved ball and socket joint to pipescapable of being moved telescopically or endwise in each other.

In all the figures corres ending parts are numbered with corresponc ingletters.

In the examples the ball and socket joint illustrated comprises acarrier of a gasolier or the like.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 1

a is a stationary part of the joint which is formed with a chamber 0suitable for the reception of the ball g and which is turned at b to fitthe periphery of the ball. The chamber 0 is adapted to receive packingmaterial such as asbestos wool or the like and is formed with aninternal screw-thread (Z into which the annular part or nut c can bescrewed. The internal hole in the annular nut c fits exactly over a ringf, the upper edge of which is turned at f 1 so as to fit the ball 9; atits lower edge the ring is formed with a surface f concentric to thespherical surface of the ball g and which surface f 2 bears against thecorrespondingly turned surface of a ring h. This ring it is screwed onto the screw threaded portion of the movable pipe i.

'The ball 9 is also screwed 011 the same screw threaded portion.

It will be readily seen that the parts a, c andf are stationary, whilethe parts g, h andt' are free to rotate and oscillate together with thegasolier fastened to them. It is furthermore obvious that packingmaterial in the chamber 0 is pressed out uniformly on all sides bytightening up the annular nut c and that therefore a tight joint betweenthe movable parts and the stationary parts is insured.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 it will be seen from the drawingthat the pipe i carries the ball 9 against which above there bears aring f, and against which from below there bears an adjustable part ornut f guided in a stationary pipe a so that it cannot move laterally butcan be pressed up and down together with the pipe i. The upper ring f isheld by an intermediate adjustable part or nut 7c which is itselfcapable of adj ustment endwise in the tube a; The ring f and nutf areformed with surfacesf concentric to the ball g against which surfacesbear the rings h screwed on to the pipe t. The rings h are also formedwith spherical surfaces struck from the center of the ball g. Thechamber 0 is filled with packing material which can be compressed to thedesired extent by the ring 7c. The best way of tightening up the ring R"is by a nut m that is screwed on the pipe 'L and is formed as f with aspherical surface also struck from the center of the ball 9. It isobvious that in this way the pipe t and consequently the entire ball andsocket can be moved endwise in the pipe o and turned and swungrelatively to a, the joint being made in all directions by the packingmaterial in the chamber c.

Having now particularly described and as certained the nature of thesaid invention and in what manner thesame is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is 1. A ball and socket joint comprising two mainparts having a chamber containing a packing material associatedtherewith, one of said main parts carrying a ball bearing surface, andthe other main part carrying a part contacting with said packingmaterial and adjustable relatively to said last mentioned main part, anda ring contacting with said adjustable part and bearing against saidball bearing surface whereby when said adjustable part is moved in theproper direction, the packing material is compressed, but the said ringis not acted upon, substantially as described.

2. A ball and socket joint for pipes, comprising two parts, providing achamber between them adapted to contain a packing material, one carryinga ball and the other part carrying a means adjustable relatively to saidother part, a ring adjustably fixed in said means and bearing againstsaid wall, and a second ring adjustably connected with the part carryingthe ball and adapted to adjust the said first ring and hold the sameagainst the said ball, whereby when the said part is adjusted the saidrings are acted upon, substantially as described.

3. In a ball and socket joint for pipes, the combination of a fixed partprovided with an adjustable part adjustable in said fixed part, and aring adjustably seated in said fixed part, a movable part provided witha ball fixed thereto, a second ring secured in said fixed part andcontacting with said first ring, the contacting faces of each of saidrings being concentric with the surface of said ball, and the said fixedand movable parts providing between them a space adapted to receive apacking,

- means whereby the said adjustable part may be adjusted to compress thesaid packing means without. acting upon the said rings and the saidmovable part may be moved at will, substantially as described.

4. In a ball and socket joint for pipes, the combination of a movablepart 'i, provided with a ball g, and a pair of rings h, adjustablysecured to said part 'i, and a fixed part a, provided with a part isadjustable in said fixed part, a third ring f adjustably secured in saidpart it, and contacting at one end with one of said first mentionedrings on said movable part i, and at its other end with said ball, and asecond part, f also, adjustably secured to said fixed part andcontacting at one end with the other of said first mentioned rings andat its other end with said ball, substantially as described.

5. In a ball and socket joint for pipes, the combination of a movablepart i, a ball g, fixed on said part, rings h, h adjustable on saidpart, a fixed part a, parts is andf adjustable relatively to said parta, a ringadjustable in one of said parts, each of said rings beingprovided with contacting surfaces concentric to the surface of saidball, and said parts a and c forming a chamber between them adapted toreceive packing material,

substantially as described.

6. In a ball and socket joint, the combination of a movable part '0provided with a ball 9 and a ring adjustable on said part, and astationary part a, having a part 76 adjustable therein, a ring fadjustably secured in said part is andbearing at one end against saidball and at its other against said first mentioned ring, a suitablespace adapted to receive packing material being provided between theparts, a and 11 substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JAN IIENDRIK WINDEllIULLER.

I/Vitnesses:

AUGUST F. WV. HAAOK, CoRNELrs A. VAN DEN EELAART.

